Analog Changes

Gunther Frohnhöfer, Acoustic Signature turntable designer and company owner, informed me last week that the business relationship between his company and Ballmann, the manufacturer of the German Behold line of electronics, which includes a headshell-mounted 768kHz/24-bit A/D converter (see my "Analog Corner" column in the forthcoming April 2005 issue of Stereophile), has been severed. Frohnhöfer has relinquished his position as Ballmann's general manager. "Doing both my own product and the Behold electronics line was too much for one person to handle," he told me. Instead, Frohnhöfer will focus on his core turntable business, while Mr. Ballmann will continue developing, manufacturing, and marketing his electronics line.

Dutch cable and cartridge manufacturer Van den Hul BV has announced the formation of Vandenhul-USA, a new company that will handle distribution of its products in the United States. Previously, the company's cable line had been distributed by May Audio, while Stanalog Audio handled the cartridges. Contrary to what was reported in my March 2005 "Analog Corner," Klaus Bunge's Odyssey Audio (www.odysseyaudio.com) will not be distributing the cartridges. Bunge's involvement was temporary, while van den Hul set up the new company.